The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 has encountered an unexpected roadblock as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced a one-week postponement of the tournament due to escalating cross-border tensions between India and Pakistan. The situation has sparked uncertainty over the tournament’s completion, prompting reactions from across the cricketing world.

IPL 2025 suspended after security crisis hits Dharamshala match

The decision to pause the IPL came in the wake of intensifying hostilities on Thursday night, marked by airstrikes and drone activity from Pakistan, which triggered widespread blackouts in key border regions of India.. This unrest reached the vicinity of the HPCA Stadium in Dharamshala, just 80 kilometers from Pathankot, where a league-stage match between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals had to be abandoned mid-game after just 10.1 overs of play in the first innings.

With airports in Dharamshala and other North Indian cities shut down, the BCCI was forced to act swiftly. Players from both teams, along with support staff, match officials, commentators, broadcast personnel, and other critical stakeholders, were evacuated by bus to Jalandhar. From there, a special train transported the entire contingent safely to New Delhi on Friday morning.

T20 World champion proposes schedule for IPL 2025 continuation

Speaking on Al Arabiya, Dawid Malanwho was a part of England‘s T20 World Cup 2022 squad, expressed concern over the IPL’s postponement and emphasized the critical importance of the upcoming five-Test series between India and England, scheduled to start on June 20. The series will also mark the beginning of India’s journey in the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 cycle.

“If it doesn’t happen in a week’s time in India or Sri Lanka or somewhere like that, I suppose they will start in September. They’ve got a massive Test series coming up against England in a few months’ time, and the IPL has to be finished before that or start after that. Logistically, it’s quite a headache for the organizers,”

Malan acknowledged the complications that such postponements bring, drawing parallels with past disruptions. In 2009, the IPL was relocated to South Africa due to general elections in India, and in 2021, the tournament was halted mid-season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with the remainder held in the UAE. When asked about potential overseas options for venues, Malan was clear:

“It’s not the first time it has happened with the IPL, not in terms of severity, which has escalated now but COVID hit back in 2020 and 2021, and they moved the IPL to the UAE midway through. There are options; they’ve played in South Africa before. But realistically, if they have to start in a week, they have to do it in India or the UAE. South Africa wouldn’t be an option, considering it will be winter there,” Malan concluded.

BCCI shortlists three Indian cities for possible resumption

Despite the crisis, the BCCI remains optimistic and has reportedly shortlisted three Indian venues as contingency options to resume the tournament in May, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Hyderabad. These cities have the necessary infrastructure and are considered relatively safer for hosting the remaining matches. So far, 58 matches of the IPL 2025 season have been completed. Only 12 league-stage games and the playoffs remain. However, if the situation doesn’t stabilize within a week, the possibility of shifting the tournament to September becomes stronger, potentially clashing with other international fixtures and cricket boards’ calendars.